Safety traffic signal belt



June,12, 1945. E. FRE'CSKA ,378,075

SAFETY TRAFF IC SIGNAL BELT I Filed Sept. 18, 1943 INVEN TOR.

zzgmndE-fimska. Y

ATTORNEY tons of different colors.

Patented June 12, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE g -2,s7s,075

SAFETY TRAFFIC SIGNAL BELT a Zigmond E. Frecska, Cleveland, Ohio Application September 18, 1943, Serial No. 502,940 3 Claims. (01. 177-329) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a. safety traiiic signal belt.

More particularly, the invention proposes an article as mentioned above, which is characterized by a flexible belt for engaging aboutones waist, or about an object. It is proposed to mount a plurality of lights and signal elements on said belt as traffic signals, and'other signals.- More specifically, it is proposed to use different colored lamps, such as red and white, or other'c'olors. It is also contemplated to The invention proposes a novel construction for holding the various lights and for supplying the necessary electric current to the lights.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the'following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various'novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure-a- Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a safety traffic signal belt, according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrated with certain of the parts rearranged.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view looking in' the direction of the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, but drawn on a reduced scale.

The safety trafiic signal belt, in accordance with this invention, includes a flexible belt In for engagement about ones waist, or other object, and having a front face ll formed with a pair of spaced longitudinally extending grooves l2. These grooves l2 have their base walls stopping short of the back face of the belt It. A container l3 for a battery I4 is mounted on the belt I. This container has a flap |5 which may be opened so that the battery I4 is accessible and may be replaced when desired, The belt I0 is shown provided with a standard buckle l6 upon one end thereof cooperative with a line of openings upon the other end. Other holding means may be provided for attaching the belt in position, as desired.

Electric wires l8 and H! are mounted along and within the said grooves l2 and extend to and within the container l3 and are respectively attached to the terminals of the battery l4. These electric wires l8 and I9 are held in position by staples 20 or other fastening elements, along their lengths and engaging the material of the belt [0.

use signal but- 2 A plurality of lamp supporting means 2| are mounted upon said belt I0. Each of said means 2| includes a clip 22 preferably of insulation material, slidably mounted on'the belt I0. I Each clip 22 extends vertically across the face of the belt Ill and has top and bottom arm portions 23 extending across the top and bottom edges of the belt ll]. Each clip 22 includes gripping plates 24 pivotally mounted upon the rear ends of the arms 23 by the hinges 25. Aspring26 is mounted on each hinge 25 and normally urges the gripping plates 24 tightly against the back face of the belt.

A lamp socket 21 is mounted upon the front of each clip 22. A contact 28 is connected with one terminal of said socket 21 and extends into one of the grooves l2 and normally contacts one of said Wires, namely, the wire l9. A multiple switch-like contact 29 connects with the other terminal of the socket 27 and extend into'the a .wa'rds a short distance to the dot and dash line position illustratedin Fig. 3.

The contact 29 slidably engages against a contact 3| which is connected by a lead 32 with the shell contact of the socket 21. Another lead 33 electrically connects the end contact of the socket 21 with the said contact 28. Lamps of, selected colors are engaged in the sockets 21 of the several lamp supporting means 2|. Signal buttons 35 are removably mounted on the belt ID for the purpose of signaling in daylight, or whenever such signals are feasible.

In Fig. 1 four lamp supporting means 2| are illustrated. These may be shifted along to selected v positions on the belt l0 merely by forcing .the gripping plates 24 out of contact with the back face of the belt l6 and then moving the lamp supporting means 2| along said belt, as desired. Moreover, one or more of these lamp supporting means 2| may be removed from the belt or additional ones added. In Fig. 2 one of the lamp supporting means 2| has-been removed and the remaining-ones have been shifted to new positions. I

The operation of the safety traffic signal belt is as follows:

The belt may be worn by a traffic officer, pedestrian, or others. The signal lamps and signal buttons are arranged to give proper trafiic orother signals. For example, the belt may be arranged so that one or more red lights or buttons are at the back of a person and one or more white lights are in front. The lights may be shifted to selected positions merely by shifting the lamp supporting means 2|. Lamp supporting means 2| may be added or removed as desired.

One or more of the lamps 34 may be turned out by pulling the contact 29 of the particular lamp supporting means outwards so as to disconnect its contact 29 from the wireoifl.

The current flows :from the 'terrninalsof ".the batteries along the leads l8 and I9 and then in parallel through one or more of the lamps 34.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is :to E be precise constructions herein disclosed and "the right is reserved to all changesandmodifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my :invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patentis:

-l. A safety traific signal belt, comprising a vflexible belt for engaging about \ones waist :or about an object and having a front face formed with a pair of spaced longitudinally extending grooves, a container for a battery mounted-on said belt; electric wires mounted along and within .said grooves and extending within said container for connectlngsaid battery with .a lamp supporting means slidably mounted on said belt and comprising a clip of insulation material-slidably mounted on said belt, a lamp socketon said clip, .a contact 'from one terminal ofrsaidlamp socket extending into one .of said grooves and contacting one of said wires, and .a movable switch like contact from the other terminal of said lamp socket extending into the other of said grooves and releasably co-ntacting the other of said Wires, said clip having a frontsection extending verticallyzacross the front vof thelbelt and top and bottom arms extending across .the topand bottom edges'of the .belt.

12. A safety traffic signal belt; comprising .a flexible belt "for engaging about .ones waist or about an objectandlhaving va front iaceftormed with a pair of spaced longitudinally extending grooves, a container for a battery mounted on said belt, electric wires mounted along and within said grooves and extending within said container for connecting said battery with a lamp supporting means slidably mounted upon said belt and comprising a clip of insulation material slidably mounted on said belt, a lamp socket on said clip, a contact from one terminal of said lamp socket .extending'into one of said grooves and contacting one of:saidwires, and a movable switch like contact from the other terminal of said lamp socket extending into the other of said grooves and releasably contacting the other of .said wires, said clip having a front section extending vertically across the front of the belt 'and'top and bottom arms extending across the top :and bottom edges of the belt, and gripping .exten'dingvinto one of said grooves and contacting one .of said wires,..and .a .movablesswitch like contactiifrom the other terminal of said lamp socket extending .into the iotheriof said grooves andreleasably contacting the other of said wires, said clip .having a front section .extending vertically across the front .of the belt and top and bottom arms extendingacross the top and bottom edges of -the belt, and gripping plates movably mounted upon the rear ends of said top and bottom arms and engaging the back face of .said

- belt, and resilient means for urging said gripping plates into operativeipositions.

'ZIGMONDE. FRECSKA. 

